Circuit controlling device



R. S. SHAW, cmcun comaoume DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, I918.

Patented June 10, 1919.

, NVENTOR V Haber! S; ,S'fiaw; WITNESSES I 2%? Wm BY ATTORNEY ROBERT- S. SHAW, OF'PORT HOPE, OHTARIO, GAIIADQ CIRGUIT-UONTBOLLING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedJune 1Q, 1%.9,

Application filed March 16, 1918.- Serial No. 222,1 40,

Todll wh'omjz't may concern. v Be it known that I, Ronnn'r S. SHAW, a subject of the Kingof Great Britain, residing at Port Hope, in the Province of Ontario and Dominion of Canada, have invented; certain new and useful Improvemerits in Circuit-Controlling Devices, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention is a'circuit' controlling device more particularly adapted for use in connection with electric lighting and power circuits in residences wherein electro-mechanical devices are employed for automatically breaking and making the circuit when overloaded, to prevent the blowing of fuses.

One object of the invention isto provide a device wherein the circuit will be automatically broken when overloaded to prevent the blowing of fuses, and to automatically prose the circuit when the overload is removed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device wherein two spaced coils are employed, one a series coil and the other normally a shunt coil.

A further object of the invention is to providea device for solenoids operable upon a core that carries a shield serving as a separator formed of insulating material which is adapted to be interposed between the main contacts and also to cooperate with supplementary and auxiliary carbon contacts.

A still further object of the invention is to. provide a movable and renewable carbon contact and a stationary carbon contact that are adapted to carry the current when the main circuit contacts are separated or opened, said carbon contacts forming replaceable arcing surfaces.

Broadly stated the invention comprises spaced solenoids or electro-magnets whose windings are, respectively in series and shunt with one side of an electric circuit, a sectional plunger core adapted to be moved by the solenoids and having its upper section insulated from the lower section, said lower section carrying a shield formed of insulating material and projecting laterally therefrom, a pair ofseparable main contacts in series with the. series connected solenoids,

a pair of separable carbon contacts in shunt with the main contacts, said shield being adapted to be moved between the main con- ,tact and thereafter separating the carbon contacts, a spring acting normallyto hold the core so that the main contacts are in a closed or engaging relation, and a separate spring'actlng upon one of the carbon contacts, said shunt coil bein adapted to be placed in series with the series coil when the main contact and the carbon contacts are separated;

One practical form of construction and assembly will be described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View showing the circuit in its normal condition,

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing the circuit in its abnormal and opened'condition,

Fig. 3 is an elevation of thesectional core carrying the insulatingshield.

In the preferred embodiment about to be described an electric circuit comprising the main wires A and B areshown. The main wire or conductor A continues on to the fuses 5. The conductor or main Wire B connects with the separable main contact 6. This contact engages with a complementary contact 7. These contacts 6 and 7 are adapted to be separated-and serve as main contacts or as a switch.

Connected with the contact 7 is a conductor C that has its other end connected with a terminal 8 of the solenoid D. The other end of the winding upon the solenoid D has a terminal 9 which is connected to a, conductor E. This conductor connects with the fuses 10. The main wire B has tapped to it at 11 a conductor F that connects with the terminal 12 of the solenoid G. The other end of the winding upon the solenoid G has a terminal 13 to which is connected a' conductor H. This conductor H is tapped to the conductor C at 14; and the conductor B has connected to it between the main contact 6 and the tapping point 11 of the conductor F a carbon contact 15 which is adapted to cooperate with a movablecarbon contact 16 pivotally mounted at 1?.

The conductor C has tapped to it at 18 a present construction it is desired" to place the windings upon the sleeves 20 and 21.

These sleeves may have at each end a head as indicated at 22, 23, 2t. and is. shown the solenoids l) and G are slightly der to provide means separated from each other and the sleeves 20 and 21 project slightly beyond the sleeves 22, 23, 2st, and :25. To operate within the solenoids D and G and in the sleeves 20 and 21 there is provided a plunger core that is composed of the sections 26 and 27. These two sections are joined together and have interposed therebetween suitable insulating material 28-. i

Thus the two sections 26 and 27 are separated electrically so as to prevent any current passing to the section 26. The lower section or section 27 carries a shield 29 formed of some suitable insulating material such as hard rubber. This shield may be secured to the section 27 in any. usual manner but preferably by fastening screws 30 more particularly shown in Fig. 3. The shield 29 is approximately square and serves as a separator and projects laterally from the section 27.

The section 27 may be provided with the tapering sides 31 and 32 down to the point where the shield 29 is secured, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. As shown in Fig. 3 there may be also provided a tapering portion 33 adjacent the upper edge of the shield 29. The shield 29 is normally positioned below the main contacts 6 and 'i and its function is to be interposed between those contacts to separate and open the circuit which includes the conductor C. As it moves upward by having the plunger a drawn within the solenoids l) and G this upper edge will strike the upper carbon contact 16.

The separation of the main contacts will produce very little; arcing and the carbon con acts are better able to withstand the arcing than the metal contacts 6 and 7. The shield 29 is normally positioned below the contacts (3 and T as shown in Fig. 1. In orfor nor'n'ially maintaining the shield withdrawn from between the contacts a spring 31; is employed. his spring may have one of its ends suitably connected to the core a1 the lower end of the section 27 by means of the eye The other end of the spring B-l may be connected in any suitable manner to a fixed point 36.

To maintain the carbon. contact 16 in engagement with the contact 15 there is provided a spring 37. This spring is preferably or" such a character as will permit the contact 16 to move wh n pressed upwardly by the upper edge of the shield The solc noid D by th connections shown has its windings connected in series with the main wire B. The soleno d G is connected in shunt across the several contacts.

V hen an overload or short circuit occurs serve to as the overload or short circu-i.

energized and the plunger core .HlOVS together and complete the circu'i escapes in the house wires 1 and J the increased current flowing through the winding of the solenoids D will overcome the action of the spring 34. This will tend to draw the section 26 of the core upward and at the same time the shield 29 is forced in between the contacts 6 and 7 to separate them. The circuit is then interrupted and passes around through the carbon contacts 15 and 16 and the jumper 19.

A continuing movement of the plunger will cause the upper edge of the shield :29 to engt e with the underside of the contact 16. This will cause the contact 16 to rotate onits pivot 17 and will then finally open the circuit between the contacts 15 and 16. As these contacts are preferably formed of carbon and are renewable at small expense the arc ing that takes place will not materially ellect them. v

As soon as the current is interrupted from passing through the conductor C it will then tend to pass through the conductor F and through the solenoid G thence through the conductor H to the point 14. The two coils will now be in series and so as to return the plunger withdrawn within the solenoids and restrict the flow of current by the 7 As soon is removed from the house conductors l, and d the solenoids D and G will become partially dewill be drawn downward by means of the spring 3a. The spring will serve to remove the carbon contact 16 into engagement with the stationary carbon contact 15. "the shield 29 is moved downward will pas and be withdrawn from between contacts 6 and 7. These two cont-a resistance of their own windin What is claimed An electric switch comprising separable contacts normally engaging, a stationary carbon contact, a movable carbon co act normally engaging the stationary coi ct, solenoids, a plunger carried by the solenoids, and insulating shiel carried by the i lunger' said shield when raised, initially separating the separable contacts a current through the carbon contacts then raise the movable break the circuit.

.Tn testimony whereof I aiiii; niy in presence of two witnesses.

Bonner s. SHAW.

and

Witnesses:

L. B. l'v 'nison, F. H. Kern-e.

to shunt the carbon contact 

